The Colorado is more compact than a full-size truck, with almost as much utility.FAST FACTS* Model: 2015 Chevrolet Colorado Crewcab* Exterior color: Red Hot* Interior color: Jet Black* Engine: 3.6-liter V-6* Horsepower: 305* Transmission: six-speed automatic* Fuel economy: 24 mpg highway, 20 mpg city* Dealer: Walter Jackson Chevrolet, Ringgold* Price (as tested): $36,055
Is there a market for a baby Chevy Silverado?
Chevrolet is betting the answer is "yes" with the introduction of its redesigned 2015 Colorado midsize pickup truck, which competes against the Toyota Tacoma and Nissan Frontier.
Many pickup owners don't need all the muscle or cargo capacity wrapped up in a full-size truck like the Silverado (or Ford's F-150), but still want the utility and resale value of a smaller pickup. Colorados come in standard and four-door crew-cab configurations, with a short-bed (5-foot) or long-bed (6-foot) option.
Our tester is a Red Hot crew-cab with the 6-foot bed -- probably the most practical Colorado blueprint for small families. In this trim it's a serviceable primary vehicle. Although an inline four-cylinder engine is available, our tester's 3.6-liter V-6 makes more sense for our mountain terrain.
Bob Lollar, sales manager at Walter Jackson Chevrolet in Ringgold, Ga., supplied today's tester and points out that it comes with GM's cutting-edge rolling WiFi option that turns your vehicle into an Internet hot spot with 4G LTE. Eventually, virtually all vehicles will have this subscription-based option, but in the meantime it's a big cherry on top of GM models. Imagine, for a moment, the power goes out your house. How cool would it be to simply huddle in your truck with your family and fire up those iPads?
The Colorado got an unintended publicity boost earlier this month when a company representative, Rikk Wilde, presented World Series MVP Madison Bumgarner with a new truck and then stumbled over his lines, touting the new Colorado for its "technology and stuff." Here's the irony, Wilde was actually right, all this technology and stuff will sell lots of Colorado trucks.
Our well-appointed, four-wheel-drive Colorado test truck with the long-box bed has an MSRP of $36,055, including premium audio ($500) and destination charge ($875). Basic rear-wheel-drive models with 200-horsepower, four-cylinder engines start as low as $20,995.
STYLING AND FEATURES
Our test truck's Red Hot paint is a nice choice for the Colorado. A new television commercial for the Colorado shows a focus group of "rich housewives." They are shown side-by-side photos: one of man standing in front of a generic sedan, another of the same guy preening in front of a Red Hot Chevy Colorado. The moderator asks: "Which guy is more sexy?" Immediately, every woman in the room points to the truck guy.
With its aggressively flared wheel-wells and masculine lines, the Colorado has no dainty styling cues. Instead, it looks it's spent time in the gym. The front has a family resemblance to the Silverado, and inside, the dash is a near clone of Chevy's full-size trucks.
The exterior proportions are a bit more visually satisfying with the short bed, but you give up a lot of utility that way. With an after-market cab extender, the long-bed Colorado can easily haul a stack of plywood panels.
The interior of the Colorado is filled with soft-touch surfaces, anchored by a big, iPad-like touchscreen in the middle that displays audio, phone and navigation apps. Our tester had handsome seats surfaced with a combination of durable cloth and leatherette.
Chevrolet has spent a lot of time and money making the Colorado's cabin quieter. Structural improvements include triple-sealed doors and thicker windshield and side glass. There's plenty of storage for your personal electronics and other valuables inside a huge center console.
Our tester includes such standard features as a rear-vision camera, remote keyless entry, cornerstep rear bumper, remote start, fog lamps and 17-inch cast aluminum wheels. The front seats are heated, and the 8-inch diagonal touch screens comes pre-loaded with Chevrolet's Mylink audio apps.
DRIVING IMPRESSIONS
The V-6 Colorado makes 305 horsepower, and pours power to all four wheels through a six-speed automatic transmission. Our tester also comes with a standard off-road suspension upgrade and a rear locking differential for tenacious four-wheel-drive grip.
On the highway, the Colorado's ride is quiet and composed with only a whisper of wind noise intruding into the cabin. Seats are wide through the hips and firm enough for long-haul comfort.
The engine features direct injection which boosts highway fuel economy to 24 mpg. Expect 20 mpg around town -- another selling point. Maximum towing capacity is 7,000 pounds, which rivals full-size trucks.
The GMC version of this GM pickup is called the Canyon.
BOTTOM LINE
Some people don't realize how big -- and potentially cumbersome -- a full-size truck can be until they climb behind the wheel. For 90 percent of buyers, the Colorado will work just fine, and it's much easier to maneuver and park.
And all that technology and stuff? Wow!
Contact Mark Kennedy at mkennedy@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6645. Follow him on Twitter @TFPCOLUMNIST. Subscribe to his Facebook updates at www.facebook.com/mkennedycolumnist.